Anyone played the new MiM Charvel Pro-Mods?

Bidley

I'm looking at buying one new. Everybody loved the Jap ones from a couple of years back, can't find many opinions on the new ones though. Apparently they shifted the same machinery from Japan to Mexico so, by rights, there shouldn't be much difference, right?

breakstuff

Richtonemusic got a shipment of Japanese Pro Mods due in soon.Don't know where they turned up from though.

mike_l

I think the biggest difference is a back-routed Floyd, rather than a non-routed on the older models.

And different pups.

mudslide73

I played a San Dimas at Guitar Guitar last week. I'm thinking about getting one - the neck was great. I haven't played a MIJ version though... best to try one out.

Bidley

breakstuff said:

Richtonemusic got a shipment of Japanese Pro Mods due in soon.Don't know where they turned up from though.

Ah, thanks for that! Shame they don't have the So-Cal in white, which is the one I'm after. I've just emailed them to see when they're in.

mike_l said:

I think the biggest difference is a back-routed Floyd, rather than a non-routed on the older models.

And different pups.

I hadn't realised the Jap ones had top-mounted Floyds, I think I might prefer recessed. What are your thoughts on top-mounted vs recessed?

mudslide73 said:

I played a San Dimas at Guitar Guitar last week. I'm thinking about getting one - the neck was great. I haven't played a MIJ version though... best to try one out.

Cheers for that, I figured the necks would still be pretty good.

mike_l

I like both back routed and flat.

There is obviously less upwards travel on the flat mount (around 3-4 semitones), but can still push the strings until they flap.

Biggest difference (to my ear) is the flat route is thicker sounding than a back-routed Floyd.

Dave_Mc

Bidley said:

I hadn't realised the Jap ones had top-mounted Floyds, I think I might prefer recessed. What are your thoughts on top-mounted vs recessed?

I think the first couple of MIJ wildcards had recessed floyds. But yeah the standard models had top-mount ones.

I haven't tried the MIMs.

Sambostar

The MIM's have a Fender headstock instead of a Charvel one.  On a Charvel, the gradient behind the nut to the headstock is short and steep, on a Fender it's shallower.  Also there is more meat below the Low E tuner on a Fender headstock.  You can tell by looking at the taper on the walnut plug, it's long and sharp on the MIM's.

Hardly an issue really, but since this is the first 'Charvel' to do this I have my suspicions.  They also have lesser quality hardwear than previous incarnations, though the quartersawn necks are the selling point really. On the whole the neck wood quality seems to be a little worse than the USA's with the Japanese ones having the best quality wood and the USA's having some of the best feeling and finished necks.

The MIM's have a floyd rose special rather than the FT-1000 Floyd Rose that as on the Jap and US guitars, not that you'd notice a difference in use, other than the logo.  The hardtails use a cheaper hardtail bridge than the Japanese Dreamsicle which used a 2" spacing Brass Charvel Vintage Bridge.

The original MIM guitars at NAMM had incorrectly spaced fret dots also.

Other than this anal aesthetic bullshit I reckon if you like recessed floyds you should try one out, I would just check them over carefully, although in fairness I'm sure the quality is there, just that a few sacred Charvel features have been overlooked.

When they came out, I was actually half hoping that they'd make them with a narrower 2 3/16" Fender heel as I like that better.  Still don't know if they use a 2 1/4" heel or not really.  Think they got that little detail down, unfortunately.

 

 

Sambostar

I think the Richtone ones were from a consignment within a container that washed up in Wisbech after being washed away off the dock during the Tsunami in Japan.  Word is that four of them were bought from Roma gypsies, one from a bloke called Marble and another two from a Russian sailor.

No, no idea where they came from so late in the day.  Do wonder though.  There is still Japanese inventory hanging about in the US.

Bidley

Wow, good knowledge @Sambostar, thanks for that. Have you played a MiM? I'd try one myself but there aren't any in stock anywhere near me, unfortunately.

Bidley

Also, I just got a reply from Richtone, if anyone's interested - the Jap Charvels are due in "next week or the week after".

Doug

Bidley said:

Also, I just got a reply from Richtone, if anyone's interested - the Jap Charvels are due in "next week or the week after".

But there's no white San Dimas or So Cals amongst them, I asked before I bought the Jackson SDX.

Dave_Mc

that is interesting about those japanese charvels. sucks that the white one is out of stock, though.

i think the floyd rose special doesn't have the brass block or the steel saddles? no idea if they're any different in use (i've only tried the frt-x000) but i reckon the schaller floyds are a step up from the frts (and their specs are, on paper, the same) so it wouldn't surprise me if there was a noticeable difference in use between the frt and the special.

I'd heard rumours (on vintage kramer website/forum) that the original USA pro mods had MIM necks- haven't corroborated it, but it's an interesting claim.

dindude

I would snap up one of those Jap ones quick sharp if I was the OP. Not that the Mex ones are necessarily bad, but the Jap ones are known quantity and will likely hold better value. At £20 more than the Mex I think it's a not-brainier, if your quick!

Bidley

Yeah, I think I'm going to go for a MIJ, for the reasons @dindude states. Plus they come with a hard case, and the MiMs only come with gig bags. I get the sense that Fender are trying to cut costs without taking their prices down...

Sambostar

I haven't played one yet, itching to see if they actually have a Charvel or Fender sized neck pocket as it will make a huge difference in feel, at least for my hands.  If they actually got the spec wrong and go for a Fender pocket I'd prefer it.  But from what I hear there is no difference to the USA's or Japanese ones in terms of neck feel, still rolled nicely and the fret dots are correctly spaced....lol and of course they are quartersawn.

Oh yeah there is one difference from the pics I have studied of MIM pro mods that folks have bought, the fret ends are not filled with maple colour filler, they are just left as bare metal, again, it's just a little cost cutting exercise in aesthetics, I wouldn't speculate that the fret ends are sharp or anything as I don't think they are.

I almost bought an SDX recently.  I figured, it would $200 for a flatsawn Charvel 12" radius neck which I would have to rout the headstock of, or $300 for one from musikraft + Import taxes and shipping.  SDX's have the 12-16 radius flatsawn neck and not a bad basswood body in all and are selling for £230 used.  It's a no brainer.  Computer seized up and someone stole it for £232 or something nuts.  Definitely a serious replacement contender though for a White Jap So Cal from what I hear and the headstock and carve is more Charvel shaped than the MIM's and the Tone zoney like pickups ain't that bad either as stock.

Could you not get a used one? Although white as a colour was desirable and the prices seem to have rocketed a bit, they are still about, although granted, most have been played a bit. There is a 'Mint' USA 1H Wildcard from the first batch on Ebay at the mo and there was a Taxi Cab Yellow one on there.  The japanese ones seem to get around £450-£500 in perfect shape although they come in gluts or none at all for months.  The USA's seem to command more, I don't know why exactly, same price originally, just for the USA plate I guess, as the quality was no way near the original reissues released around 2005/6 and not a patch on the originals.  In fact overall the Jap ones were better quality overall in general I think.

Remember the Jap ones have the yellow neck tint, some more than others, the USA's and MIM's do not.  Although one of my USA maple boards has started to yellow on it's own. 

The cases are good, but I realistically only needed one, so I sold the rest off and got some cheap Fender ones instead for easier storage.

Could youi not maybe get a lightly used/looked at Sdx and wait around to bide your time for the right White Pro Mod/So Cal to come along, when it does, sell the Sdx for what you paid for it.  Don't compromise if you really want a white So Cal or whatever.  Or get a new one and buy the white one on credit whilst you sell the one you have for the same..? Scenarios...

Only thing I don't envisage is a huge resale value on the MIM's Pro Mods, they just don't have the desirability factor and actually the new Jackson's have put a lot of people's noses out of joint too.  The Japanese and USA's are where it is at.  But maybe I'm wrong.

Sambostar

I don't doubt for a minute that the first batch, the USA pro mods were made by mexicans, but whether they were made over the border or not I would less sure about, mainly because everything concerning the headstocks is off between the manufacturing of the MIM pro mods and the USA pro mods as I've mentioned. 

Now the quality of the maple used to build the neck - that was similar, albeit the USA's slightly better quality, being less streaky, so maybe they started life form the same place?  The Japanese ones definitely used better quality maple hands down, not a streak in sight and many of them also had the sort of flame you'd expect from a CS model.  But all in all it's not a big issue, we are only talking a 4mm long brown streak in the wood...lol. 

Although I see 10mm long streaks in pics of the the MIM ones......although by this stage you are developing some serious OCD syndrome.  But seriously I have seen some pics of MIM's with serious brown streaks in the grain and on the face of the board, the sort of stuff that you'd be upset by if you'd just ordered a neck from Musikraft or something or something that is typical on a MIM Strat or Chinese Jackson, well not quite that bad.  Maybe it's another cost cutting exercise.

Dave_Mc

Sambostar said:

I don't doubt for a minute that the first batch, the USA pro mods were made by mexicans, but whether they were made over the border or not I would less sure about, mainly because everything concerning the headstocks is off between the manufacturing of the MIM pro mods and the USA pro mods as I've mentioned. 

I have no idea, I was just posting what I'd read )

Bidley

Thanks for the thoughts, @Sambostar, much appreciated!

The SDX idea has put the cat amongst the pigeons. They are much cheaper and the colour is spot on, I just wonder if it's worth sacrificing the build quality etc for the ideal colour? In reality it's a Charvel So-Cal I'm after, not just a white/black hot-rodded superstrat. If anything, the maple 'board is the clincher for me. The MiM ones do look a bit anaemic, so the tint would be preferable.

Going used is an option I looked at first and foremost, but I've had my eye on eBay and the like for a couple of months and there just aren't that many about, let alone in white.

I don't doubt the MiMs are decent, I've got a MiM Roadhouse strat and I love it to bits, it has a lovely tone and plays very nicely. But there are MiJs to be had for, what, £8 more? I'd probably do better if I compromised on the colour and sold a MiJ if a white one came up.

I'm thinking I'm going to go for a MiJ from Richtone.

Sambostar

I blame it on my eyes being set too close together.  Meds!   )

Doug

I'd give the Jackson SDX a try, you may be impressed enough to buy new, (I was~great build quality and very stable/top mount Floyd for £345 or s/h £200! + ish)  I've read the SDX has HSS route, tho' I've not had the pickguard off mine yet, as I like it as is with the stock p'ups atm, so if you need H H config then wait for the inevitable MIJ Pro~Mod in white to come up for sale.